Moto2: Italy

It is now Moto2's turn to take to the track at Mugello, in Italy.  This is round six of the championship.  25 degrees Celsius (77 Fahrenheit), air temp.  42 degrees Celsius (107 Fahrenheit), track temperature.  Sam Lowes has pole for this 22 lap contest at Autodromo del Mugello, while Alex Rins, rolls off in ninth place.  Mugello, is a magic track.  Lowes has not qualified lower than second in his three Moto2 races at Mugello.  He's trying to claw back five points, to Alex Rins, championship leader.  Johann Zarco starts sixth, Rins, ninth.  Jonas Folger is down in 17th place.  He was quick in the morning warmup.  Sam Lowes, has pole, as mentioned.  He is very relaxed for this race, unlike at Le Mans last time out.

Lorenzo Baldassari and Forward Racing roll off third, with a special Italian paint scheme, on the motorcycle.  Luca Marini (Valentino Rossi's half brother), is team mate, to Baldassari.  Takaaki Nakagami of Japan, is second.  This is his first front row start in Moto2 since the season opener for Moto2 in Qatar, two years ago, back in 2014.  Nakagami, was quickest, in the morning warmup.  Axel "Action" Pons, (as he is being called this weekend), starts from fourth, on the outside of row two.  Fifth, will be Marcel Schrotter, as we continue to look through the grid, at the top contenders.  Sixth on the grid, is Johann Zarco.  Marcel Schrotter is surprised that he qualified so well.  Tom Luthi rolls off in seventh place.

Simone Corsi, is eighth, on his Speed Up.  Alex Rins, championship leader, is ninth.  He wrecked in qualifying, though.  Sam Lowes has great pace on the harder option Dunlop rear tire.  Johann Zarco is going for the softer option rear tire.  Sandro Cortese, Franco Morbidelli, and others, will also be worth watching for this one.  Sam Lowes earns his sixth career pole.  Federico Fuligni of Italy, is a wildcard rider.  The bikes roll off on their warmup lap, and Nakagami is slow away from the line.  Track temperature, has gone up slightly, before we start this one.

A good start, is crucial, here at Mugello.  Sam Lowes won at Jerez in Spain, the last time he started a race from pole.  21 laps of action, in Moto2, at Mugello, as the green flag waves at the back of the field.  The lights go out, and we are racing, at Mugello!  Lorenzo Baldassari gets a great start, and so does Sam Lowes, who rockets off the line.  Tom Luthi makes a fabulous start, as the bikes are spread out across the road.  Luthi is pushed down to seventh, and here comes Takaaki Nakagami.  Sam Lowes wants to go inside Nakagami for the race lead.  Can he get there?  Not yet.  No dice into Casanova for the first time.

Wait until the Arrabiata 1 & 2 complex, or, the anger corners.  Sam Lowes moves inside and takes over the race lead.  Or rather, retakes the lead.  Lowes leads Nakagami, Baldassari, and Axel Pons remains fourth.  Baldassari slides past Nakagami for second.  Hafizh Syahrin, he has picked up six spots, and is up to ninth after starting 15th on the grid.  Baldassari defends his line over Nakagami.  Simone Corsi passes Alex Rins through San Donato.  Jonas Folger, is now languishing in 22nd place.  Luca Marini, in his home Grand Prix, started tenth, but has now dropped to 16th place.  Alex Rins slides under Simone Corsi, and makes the pass.  This is a right old ding dong, as they say in racing.

Marcel Schrotter passes Simone Corsi into the Palaggio corner.  Johann Zarco, running the soft rear tire, remains tenth, and can't get by riders ahead of him.  Schrotter runs a tad wide, ahead of Simone Corsi.  Tom Luthi rockets up the inside, passing, from fourth spot.  He takes two spots, and is now second!  Luthi turns in fastest lap of the race so far at 1:52.749.  Oh my gosh!  Folks, we have a major wreck.  Luca Marini goes down, along with, Alex Marquez.  What a tough break, for Marquez.  He has crashed in five out of six races in 2016 already.  This was a battle for 15th and 16th spot, respectively.

Lorenzo Baldassari has passed Takaaki Nakagami, for third place.  Takaaki Nakagami, passes inside Sam Lowes.  But, the riders, have to be careful, because the riders in front of this group, (Lowes, Luthi, and Baldassari), could pull away.  Luthi speeds around Sam Lowes on the outside.  Lorenzo Baldassari moves to third, past Nakagami.  Rins also passes, into San Donato.  Luthi runs another fast lap at 1:52.718.  Jonas Folger, may be headed for the house, as he is off the pace on his #94 DynaVolt Racing Kalex.  Jonas Folger, has had a horrid time, ever since signing up to race for Tech3 Yamaha in MotoGP next year.  Alex Marquez, rejoins the race.  But, the younger brother of MotoGP world champion Marc Marquez, is caboose on the field.

Tom Luthi remains ahead of Sam Lowes at the moment.  Axel Pons has some rear wheel spin out of Correntaio corner.  Through Bucine, there's a real battle brewing.  Lowes takes second away again, from Baldassari.  The top five bikes, are contained within the lead group here.  Nakagami jumps from fifth to third.  Oh dear!  Sam Lowes, runs wide, and Tom Luthi sees the opening, and goes for the lead.  Baldassari takes Nakagami for third.  It's game over for Jonas Folger.  He's in pit lane.  He's retired his motorcycle.  Xavi Vierge has also fallen and retired his bike.  Through Borgo San Lorenzo, and then, into Casanova another time.  Vierge likely lost the front end of his bike.

Axel Pons, Marcel Schrotter, and Johann Zarco, are catching the top five, and so, this could be an eight bike train before the race is over.  Xavi Vierge's bike plows straight into the air fence.  Sam Lowes leads from Baldassari, Luthi, Nakagami, and Rins.  But, folks, we have a red flag being displayed.  This race, will be stopped, for some reason.  The air fence, has been damaged, and perhaps, it has been popped, and will need to be repaired.  We work lap five of 21.  Xavi Vierge crashed in Biondetti 1 & 2.  The air fence, has done it's job, but has a puncture, and part of it, has lost the air.

Jonas Folger is out due to his quick shifter, packing up.  Three DNF's in six races.  Folger has not been able to be consistent.  This race will be shortened.  We can technically forget the first five laps.  We will revert to lap four, and Tom Luthi will start from pole, with Sam Lowe second, and so forth.  Jonas Folger, won't restart this race, sadly.  The race will be restarted, for eleven laps, and the grid spots are based on lap three positions.  Folger could perhaps restart this race, because on lap three, he was still in the order.  What will happen due to tire choice?  Alex Marquez can come back out.  Johann Zarco, will need a soft tire.  Lowes, Luthi, and Nakagami, will be on the front row for the restart.

A new pad of air fence, will be inflated and put in place, to cushion a wreck, should one happen at that particular section of track.  Johann Zarco will restart from ninth place.  Work is being done to Jonas Folger's motorcycle, too.  Pit lane will open at 12:45 P.M.  This race, has not had the battles we expected.  So, we'll have 11 laps.  No one will be able to whistle off into the distance.  What will the tire selection become?  Will riders use hard tires, or soft tires?  Maybe there will be no hard tires left, and only soft ones will be available.  Dunlop says a softer option rear tire, would work well.  There will be no issues, with running that tire, now that the race distance, has been shortened.  Who will make the switch?  We'll find out, soon.  But, does Zarco have a fresh tire left?

Sam Lowes could not find grip on the soft tire.  This race will have the quick restart procedure as pit exit will be open for one minute, ahead of the sighting lap, much like we've seen in World Superbike.  Game over for Luca Marini.  In the old days, we used aggregate scoring.  But, that's too confusing.  The sighting lap starts, and Jonas Folger, will be back on track.  Get on the bike, and get out of the garage, onto the grid.  Alex Marquez, is actually the only rider, swapping to a soft tire.  Dominique Aegerter has switched from soft to hard tires.  Sam Lowes, is stuck with the hard tire.  Johann Zarco is the only rider in the front on the soft option tire.  One mechanic per rider allowed on the grid to make sure things are OK, before we restart.

We complete the sighting lap now.  11 laps scheduled.  Federico Fuligni will start from pit lane due to tech issues.  Fuligni will actually join the rear of the grid on his #42 bike.  To restart again, is not the easiest proposition.  It's a whole different dynamic.  It's a short, sprint race.  A dash for cash, if you will.  Now, Simone Corsi might have a problem, and he's not allowed out onto the grid.  He will have to start from pit lane.  Maybe he was late getting out.  Edgar Pons suffered the same fate.  Ratthapark Willairot also has to go back to the lane.  We now have a delayed start, and the 600cc engines are very hot.  They're steaming.

Folks, we've got some problems.  This isn't good.  Start delayed.  Snore.  They are all coming off the grid, and the race officials from the International Racing Association, are saying, "guys, we need to get the bikes off the grid."  We'll keep you updated.  But, there's going to be a delay in this race.  Ugh!  This race, could be pushed until after MotoGP.  Too many bikes would start from pit lane.  So, we will have to completely restart this race. 

Edgar Pons, Simone Corsi, Federico Fuligni and others, were on the grid, but several others are told to come off the grid.  This is the third restart of this race, or, rather, the third delay.  The race is now an 11 lap sprint.  Make that ten.  The quick restart procedure will be used.  Some engines were overheating at 115 degrees Celsius.  Yikes!  It's manic Mugello, and it's a ten lap, Saturday night, short track shootout.  Many of these blokes need to make a better start, than on the original one.  Boatloads of riders are going to be sent to the back of the grid, for delaying the restart procedure!  Unreal!  Alex Rins will start at the back for not exiting the pits quick enough.  Ditto for Takaaki Nakagami!

One minute, is as clear as a bell.  A handful of riders didn't know what was going on.  Xavier Simeon and Takaaki Nakagami were still on the grid.  One by one, the marshals pulled some of the riders, off the grid.  A couple teams are caught cold by the quick start procedure.  Pit lane opens again, in five minutes.  In 2010, in the first year of Moto2, Simone Corsi scored a podium after starting outside the top 30.  Pit lane opens in two and a half minutes.  Alex Rins at the back, and Sam Lowes, at the front.  Three teams didn't get their riders out quick enough.  Pit lane opening is TBA.

Simone Corsi and Hafizh Syahrin have gone to the end of the pit lane.  Corsi's motor will overheat.  It looks as though the grid has been revised again.  We're going to find a full, new grid sheet here.  OK.  The bikes are moving out on the sighting lap.  Will we be third time lucky?  This race, will be wild.  Jonas Folger will get a second chance.  Oh dear!  Before we can even restart this race, Xavier Simeon, has crashed!  The bike is on a crest in the road.  That's not a good spot for him to be.  Hafizh Syahrin sensibly signals to other riders, "we have a crash.  Slow down!"  Sam Lowes, is still on pole.  Takaaki Nakagami still has issues.  We have another warmup lap.  We'll start this race, in a few minutes.

Full championship points, are still available.  The dynamics of this event, have been turned upside down.  Luca Marini, and Xavier Simeon, won't start.  Let's try this again.  Go!  Tom Luthi gets a flyer!  Luthi is away like a bullet as Sam Lowes loses spots headed down to fourth or fifth.  Make that sixth.  Hafizh Syahrin has also gotten a flyer.  Luthi leads Lorenzo Baldassari.  Marcel Schrotter has moved to fourth.  Johann Zarco currently runs ahead of Sam Lowes.  Baldassari leads the field through Arrabiata two.  Axel Pons tussles with Dominique Aegerter through Scarperia corner.

Axel Pons tries Sam Lowes into Correntaio, as we watch Lorenzo Baldassari going for it, too.  Johann Zarco passes Marcel Schrotter at Bucine.  We've had another rider fall.  Alex Rins has moved up to 19th and still has work to do.  Baldassari still leads.  Alex Rins passes Ricard Cardus.  So, the top ten right now is Baldassari, Luthi, Syahrin, Zarco, Lowes, Schrotter, Pons, Aegerter, Morbidelli, and Cortese.  AGR team mates Pons and Schrotter scuffle through the Scarperia corner another time.  Mattia Pasini, meanwhile, has crashed out.  It's game over.  Pasini has won here at Mugello in the old 125cc and 250cc classes.  Syahrin wants his first dry race podium.

Tom Luthi takes the lead as Sam Lowes puts in fastest lap at 1:52.756.  Alex Rins is 17th, just behind Jonas Folger.  Through Matterazzi and Borgo San Lorenzo they go.  Sam Lowes is being very cautious in his riding approach.  Lorenzo Baldassari wants to make a move into Arrabiata 1.  But, he thinks better of it, as Tom Luthi continues to lead.  The top five is forming into one large group of motorcycles.  Alex Rins moves to 16th.  Well, not for too long.  Jonas Folger passes him.  Baldassari goes to second and Syahrin is passed by Zarco.  Zarco passes Tom Luthi through Poggio Secco.  Zarco runs the soft rear option tire.

Axel Pons is also moving up.  Zarco resets fast lap at 1:52.975.  Six laps to go.  Baldassari has the advantage as Rins now is working on passing Miguel Oliveira.  Hafizh Syahrin will try to attack Tom Luthi for third.  Franco Morbidelli and Dominique Aegerter, have a good scrap going on as well.  Rins might lose the championship lead to Sam Lowes, as we are approaching the halfway mark in this race, lap five of ten.  Luthi runs wide into Correntaio and allows Hafizh Syahrin to gain ground.  Zarco goes for a pass on Baldassari!  Zarco makes it and will lead down to San Donato.  Luthi tries Syahrin, and can't get there.  Sam Lowes presses Hafizh Syahrin into running wide!

Lowes now moves to fourth.  Lowes acknowledges he was too rough on Syahrin.  Zarco and Lowes are half a second apart.  Lowes can't shake Syahrin, or Axel Pons.  Lorenzo Baldassari wants to win his first Moto2 race and he's going for the lead, right on Zarco!  Can he hold the lead?  No!  Runs wide, does Baldassari and Johann Zarco dives back on the outside.  Zarco says "merci beaucoup" and goes on his way.  Takaaki Nakagami has made it back inside the points paying positions in 14th.  Four laps left.  Zarco goes inside Baldassari again, and they trade paint!  Whoa!  That was close!

Baldassari gets into Zarco's slipstream.  What can he do?  Lorenzo Baldassari has the inside line.  He squeezes Zarco, as Tom Luthi runs very wide.  Zarco tries again into Poggio Secco, but Baldassari isn't finished.  Baldassari had to back out of the throttle, allowing Tom Luthi to close up.  Syahrin and Lowes aren't out of the picture yet, either.  Baldassari and Zarco continue their scrap into Sevelli.  New fast lap, for Luthi, at 1:53.672.  Zarco runs wide in Arrabiata 1.  The crowd is going bonkers!  Rins can at least salvage a top ten.  The penultimate lap is on.  Zarco retakes the lead ahead of Baldassari as Sam Lowes can't pass Hafizh Syahrin and has to defend from Axel Pons.

Can Zarco score his first win since the opener in Qatar back in March?  Lowes passes Syahrin.  He's a half a second away from the podium.  But, he'll have to hope the top three take each other out which won't happen.  We start the final lap now.  Lorenzo Baldassari will line up Zarco, for a pass into San Donato.  Baldassari is going for the block pass on the brakes, another time.  Baldassari knows what Zarco is up to.  But, he leaves the door open, and Zarco is going to squeeze by, just barely!  Zarco has superior speed through the rhythm section of this course here at Mugello.  Zarco can stretch out in the climbing and diving turns of Casanova, Sevelli, and the Arrabiata section.

Lowes closes on Tom Luthi and wants to make a pass.  Will it be Zarco, or Baldassari for the win at Mugello?  Zarco holds the lead.  Baldassari can't pass into Correntaio.  Zarco holds on into Biondetti. This is it.  What will happen into Bucine, the last turn?  Baldassari sweeps inside and can't pass.  It's going to be a drag race to the finish line!  It's not enough!  Zarco wins at Mugello!

#5 Johann Zarco      FRA.     Kalex

Yours truly, is still catching up with Moto2 races.  The next event on the schedule was the Grand Prix of Catalunya at Barcelona in Spain.  Stay tuned for highlights of that race, in the not too distant future.